(wo)man
by grotesqueries
Summary: sasukarin- I like it when they run.


okay, so, I guess this isn't very creepy. It was sort of my intention, but this is mostly something quick that I started and liked to fill in while I work on my longer sk fics. Enjoy!

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_"Man or woman, man or woman…"_

Karin clenches her hands into tight fists, her subconscious reaching out to find Sasuke, her eyes focusing as a layer of panic settles over her brain.

_"Man or woman, man or woman…"_

She inhales deeply, chest rising and falling sharply.

_"Woman."_

And then, she runs. She slides her hand to the pouch on her waist and she _runs_. East, where Sasuke is. East. Suigetsu to the south. South-east. Scream, she thinks. No, no. Never scream. She is not weak like a prisoner. She cannot take Juugo, entire, but she is not weak.

_"I'm gonna flay you!"_

"Not if I flay you first, " she mutters, damning her decision to let Sasuke hold onto her katana. She knows he can't hear her, knows he can only hear the endless suffering of his mind, the _man or woman man or woman man or man or woman or woman_ that opens his eyes of rage. But still she does. To keep herself aware, she's told herself before. To make sure she doesn't die.

_Just a bit farther._

"I like it when they _run_," Juugo hisses behind her, his voice cracking slightly, as if the Juugo inside fights the behemoth outside.

"Sasuke!" Karin finally yells, her breath barely caught. "Sasuke!"

Because yelling for Juugo to calm down is useless. Because she will not lower herself by calling for Suigetsu.

And because she doesn't need to hear him say her name to know that he comes for her. Both of them.

_"Die!"_ he screams. And Karin closes her eyes as the crackle of lightning fills her ears, washing out the rhythmic pounding of her feet against the leafy forest floor. His yell is unintelligible, but enough of an indicator that he's going for the kill. She curses as she opens her eyes, watching the yellowing grass beneath her feet fly by. _Just a bit farther._ She jumps, grabbing a tree and swinging, just barely missing hitting the trunk of the next tree. Damn the crack in her glasses. She hits the ground with a thump, the shock traveling sharply through her leg muscles and evening out as she slaps a hand to the ground and springs back up into a sprint. She can feel the murderous intent surround her, a heady mix of Juugo and Sasuke as they approach. She holds back the urge to lick her lips as she silently thanks Kami for her natural speed.

"Sasuke," she breathes, a relieved smirk briefly coming across her face as she focuses in on his rapidly approaching figure, doing her best to ignore the terrible pain in her back and the aching of her leg muscles. His eyes narrow and as he slows to a stop, one hand on his blade, he reaches his other hand out to take Karin's, swinging her around and keeping her safely behind his back.

If she didn't know any better, she'd swoon.

"Juugo," Sasuke hisses, killer intent rolling off of him in waves. "Calm down."

"Gyahaha… Hiding, aren't you? You always hide, you weak little freak. You're just a hanger on, you can't even fight! I should snap you in two like a stick."

Without realizing it, Karin tightens her grip on Sasuke's hand. She surprised when he reciprocates.

"Juugo, I suggest you calm down." his voice barely makes it above a whisper but she can see the way Juugo's flesh crawls, his eyes swimming, and slowly she watches from behind Sasuke as he falls to his knees.

"What have I done," he murmurs, rest in his head in his hands. He begins to shake, stifled wails rising up. "Oh, Kami, why, I'm a monster, I'm a monster, I can't-"

Sasuke scoffs, taking a step forward and dropping Karin's hand. "What was it this time?" he asks impassively. He casts his gaze behind his shoulder, to see Karin shrug as she walks forward.

"You idiot!" she calls, her hands going to her hips. "You could have- You could have killed me! That was reckless, I can't believe Orochimaru-"

"Karin." He casts her a pointed gaze, one that says _don't rile him up._ She frowns, crossing her arms.

"And you- I could have _died._ I know you can run faster than that, you know I'm- You know I might be- Augh!" She shakes her head, disgusted and exasperated, her irritation exacerbated by Sasuke's sigh.

"Kill me," Juugo whimpers, breaking the silence. Karin casts him a pitied glance and Sasuke watches as her anger melts.

"Oh," she starts, taking a step towards him. "Juugo?"

He looks upward, tears building in his eyes. "I'm a menace to the world. I should die. All I do is- All I do is hurt people. I almost hurt you. No, I did hurt you."

"I forgive you." she says, and her voice does not betray a lie. She kneels to rests her head against his as if to say _do not make me regret that_ before she stands, turns on her heel and stalks off.

Sasuke motions for Juugo to go to Suigetsu before he starts off behind her.

For once, he does not ask himself why he bothers to humor her.

He finds her sitting at the due of the clearing he had occupied not moments ago, her hands on her knees, ankles crossed and glasses on her lap.

"Sasuke," she says, her voice monotone. He grunts in response. "You didn't have to come find me, you know."

"I know."

"But you did." she pauses, looking over her shoulder. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you _wanted_ to see me. Is that it, Sasuke? Did you want to? Or are you just here to make sure I haven't finally snapped from fear for my life?"

He looks at her with empty eyes. "I was worried." He finally says.

"Why? Because I can't handle him myself? Because he only ever seems to want to attack me? Worry about yourself-" she snaps, crossing her arms and looking straight ahead.

"Because you could have gone faster."

Without word, she stands, puts her glasses on, and disappears.

While the others sleep, he sneaks into her tent - though it isn't exactly sneaking, he isn't exactly unwelcome and she isn't exactly asleep.

"Sasuke," she says, unperturbed, as if she were expecting him all along. She moves to sit up, pressing the thin blanket to her chest instinctually, although she wears bandages that cover her torso. If she shifts the right way she can feel the various salves under the bandages rub into her wounds.

"Don't," he says softly, sliding up and in next to her. There isn't room for both of them on her bedroll, but if either of them mind the sudden closeness, they don't say anything. Karin is silent then, staying on her side, her back to him. He takes a deep breath, resting a hand on the curve of her side. "I thought I lost you today."

Her initial response is a pained hiss, a sharp intake of breath as he puts pressure on the various cuts under the bandages. "You wouldn't have let that happen." she finally spits out, breathing a sigh of relief moments after as he shifts the position of his hand. She slides over a few inches, her silent invitation clear as day. Wordlessly, Sasuke lies down beside her, one arm slinging loosely over her to rest on her stomach, the other above his head. He buries his head in her hair and slowly, she covers his hand with her own.

She doesn't hear him activate his sharingan but his spike in chakra tells her enough.

"Sasuke-"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was waiting. I wasn't sure if it was even real. I thought I was fooling myself with long forgotten dreams of-"

"Why would you _ever _dream of this?"

"Because it would make you happy, you idiot. Aren't you pleased?"

Her sarcasm almost makes him flinch. Almost. "Pleased enough."

"Pleased _enough_? What does that mean?!"

"It means I'm as pleased as I can be under these circumstances. This wasn't exactly how I wanted this to go." The sharpness in her eyes softens and she squeezes his hand gently.

"It's not like I wanted it this way either, but this is how it is. make your choice, Sasuke."

His silent is deafening and she's lulled to sleep only by the nervous beating of his heart, pounding in her ears like the theoretical clock signifying that their time is up.

They can't run anymore.

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